The weather in Toronto had been calling for thunder showers, but as Bahamas started their laid back show, the beautiful sunset was casting its beautiful tones on the revamped Budweiser Stage, formerly known as Molson Amphitheatre.
The Toronto based Afie Jurvanen, better known by his stage name Bahamas, performing with his friends, started with his well known hits, and threw in some of his newer material from his upcoming album that will be released later on this year.
Bahamas at Budweiser Stage in Toronto. Photo by Laura Collins.
Bahamas has been touring the U.S. with Jack Johnson for the past while, and he seemed content performing in front of the home audience, talking about being back home, his daughter’s waking him up in the morning and joking about his mother making him breakfast the following morning.
The audience burst into a song with one of his biggest hits Lost in the Light, and got them cheering for Bad Boys Need Love Too.
By the time Jack Johnson climbed on stage, the cool air from the lake had people wrapped in their sweaters and blankets, and after the last ray of sunlight disappeared, the amphitheatre was lit up with hundreds of lights made out of plastic scrap collected from Hawaiian beaches.
Jack Johnson at Budweiser Stage in Toronto. Photo by Laura Collins.
The pro surfer turned musician looked like he had rode straight from the Hawaiian waves to Toronto with his relaxed, sun-kissed look, and his ever loved hit tunes brought the summer warmth to the chilly evening. He started his much anticipated show with Sitting, Waiting Wishing, Taylor, and by the audience wish, Staple It Together turned into Whole Lotta Love.
On top of the Sublime covers Badfish and Boss DJ, Johnson brought Bahamas on stage midway through the show for Breakdown, and Wreckless Eric cover Whole Wide World that got the audience singing from the top of their lungs.
Johnson smoothly switched between his acoustic and electric guitars into his ukulele, and brought along Zach Gill from behind the piano to sing and play the accordion and melodica solo on Banana Pancakes.
Jack Johnson at Budweiser Stage in Toronto. Photo by Laura Collins.
Although this was far from the beach weather, some beach balls were bouncing in the audience that flew on stage and prompted Johnson for a kick match and his shoe to go flying in the audience, which someone tossed back at him before continuing the show.
Johnson returned on stage for an encore with a Jimmy Buffett cover A Pirate Looks At Forty and as the last song, Better Together leaving the audience feel warm and fuzzy.
Overall, this was a concert for all ages, families and couples and groups of friends, having a warm hearted get-together, reminiscing over countless road trips and evenings on bonfires on the beaches and summer drinks.
Setlist:
- Sitting, Waiting, Wishing
- Taylor
- Staple it Together (Whole Lotta Love)
- You and Your Heart
- Cupid
- Posters
- Go On
- Upside Down
- The Horizon Has Been Defeated
- Badfish (Sublime Cover)
- Boss DJ (Sublime Cover)
- Inaudible Melodies
- Flake
- Good People
- Constellations
- Breakdown (With Bahamas)
- Whole Wide World (Wreckless Eric Cover with Bahamas)
- Rodeo Clowns
- I Got You
- Tape Deck
- Girl, I Wanna Lay You Down (Animal Liberation Orchestra Cover)
- Banana Pancakes
- Shot Reverse Shot
- No Other Way
- Wasting Time
- Bubble Toes
- Mudfootball
Encore:
- A Pirate Looks At Forty (Jimmy Buffett Cover)
- Do You Remember
- Angel
- Better Together
By Laura Collins.
